Tuesday, November 6, 2012

1862 November 7 Lynchburg, Va.

[from the diary of William M. Blackford, bank officer and former diplomat with five sons in the Confederate Army]

Friday 7 Nothing of any moment. A
gentleman from Martinsburg called
with a letter from my old friend
Holmes Conrad. Weather sharp
but clear. At night In the evening
came by the cars from Careyswood
Eugene Davis & his sister Lizzie-
Mr. Holcombe came in about 8 oclock
and made himself very agreeable
Dr. Houston also called. Mr. H.
induced Eugene D. to go up with him
in the morning cars to Bedford
to see a place he had bought & to
avoid disturbing us E. went to the
Hotel to sleep. various rumors
from the army, whose situation
causes me great anxiety--The enemy
are obviously trying to separate the
corps of Jackson & Longstreet
and will I fear succeed. They are
menacing Richd also from Suffolk
and by the River. Great events are
on the [?] The elections in N.Y.
N.J. & Illinois have gone for the
Democrats and the defeat of the
Black Republicans is overwhelming
This must make for our cause.

About Me

The Special Collections Dept. of the University of Virginia Library holds over 25 Civil War diaries and thousands of letters of both Union and Confederate soldiers. Noted holdings include letters of Robert E. Lee, papers of "Gray Ghost" John S. Mosby and Confederate Generals Thomas L. Rosser, Elisha F. "Bull" Paxton, and Philip St. George Cocke, and William S. Hillyer of Ulysses Grant's staff.